Evans on top of the world
Reanne Evans issued a transatlantic challenge minutes after being crowned women’s world snooker champion for a record fifth successive year.
The 23-year-old overcame good friend and England team-mate Maria Catalano 5-2 in the final at Cambridge Snooker Centre.
“Obviously I’m really happy I’ve won,” said Evans. “But it wasn’t the best performance. I haven’t played my best all tournament but I’ve done enough.”
Wearing her favourite pink-backed waistcoat, Evans took the first frame with a 51 and nicked the second on the black.
Catalano, 27, appearing in a first world final, pulled one back with breaks of 43, 30 and 39. A run of 34 squared the match.
Evans won the next two before a dramatic seventh.
Catalano, Ronnie O’Sullivan’s cousin, jawed a frame-ball red following a 43 break. Evans, needing a 43 clearance, missed the final black off its spot. However, the world number four’s attempted pot into the middle hit the knuckle and left an easy shot into the green pocket.
Evans said: “I started off really well and then Mal (Catalano) played well in the next two frames. I think I did two shots wrong. Fair play to her.”
The undisputed queen of the green baize insisted she’s hungry for more success and urged former World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association (WLBSA) stars - Kelly Fisher, Allison Fisher, Kim Shaw and Karen Corr - to compete in next year’s event.
The quartet is currently competing on the women’s US 9-ball pool circuit.
“I’d love to play them,” she said. “I played Kelly when I first started playing but it isn’t the same. They were all brilliant players. It would be good to play them all again.
And the Wolves fan added: “I don’t like losing. I aim to win every tournament and I’m trying to go for records.”
It was the fourth time the Dudley duo has met in a ranking final this season. Evans, known as “champion” by two-year-old daughter Lauren, won them all.
Evans, who was breaking in a new tip and ferrule, did not drop a frame until the semi-finals.
Emma Bonney, from Portsmouth, took the first with a 51. Evans won the next four and made an 89 in the fourth.
In the second semi, Catalano fought back from 3-1 down to overcame Katie Henrick 4-3 in an epic four-and-three-quarter-hour battle.
Two weeks ago, the finalists, representing England, returned from St Petersburg, Russia, with the European Ladies Team Championship trophy.
After collecting 17 WLBSA ranking events, Evans is keen to become the first woman to qualify for the Main Tour.
Ranked 27th on the English Association of Snooker & Billiards Pro-Ticket Tour, and in the last-32 of the English Amateur Championship, she is heading for a one-tournament shot at turning professional via the play-off.
“I’m capable,” she insisted. “I just maybe need that extra year to get a bit of experience. But I don’t see why I can’t do it.”
Evans is being assisted by top coach Del Hill. “He helps me when I need it; he’s there for me,” she said.
The world champion received an £380 SR World Stars’ cue No 1 from SR Cues Ltd and a Multirest from Fine Arch Cues. The facilities and hospitality were provided by Cambridge Snooker Centre.
